The Destruction of a Legend
by Where Do You go
Summary: The title will make sense later, and probably be quite obvious within the first few paragraphs. :3 Anyhoosle, Picard is confronted with a threat to his crew and his ship! How surprising! What will he do to ward off this attacker? DUN DUN DUN!


The U.S.S. _Enterprise _cruised through the blackness of space at a leisurely speed of warp 2. Captain Picard sat at attention, his presence stately, commanding and one that almost demanded respect. To his right sat his First Officer, Commander Riker, and to his left Counselor Troi. All was quiet. All was still. Just how the Captain liked it.

"Captain," Lieutenant Commander Data suddenly said, a wariness in his voice only sensed by those he knew the most. "A Klingon bird of prey is decloaking off our port nacelle."

"This is…unexpected," Picard said slowly, standing and joining Data at the helm. His statement was correct, as usual. "But they don't seem to be a threat, do they?"

"Negative, Captain," Mr. Worf interjected. "She is arming herself and preparing to fire." Picard turned to look at his first officer, who also held a look of worry as the Captain.

"Shields up!" Riker commanded loudly, making everyone jump slightly. Picard nodded.

"Give me a visual, Mr. Data," Picard instructed, backing away to see the full of the image on his view-screen.

The bird of prey was a standard ship, but to Picard and the other senior officers something was quite different. Its wings were slightly angled more inward to the body of the ship, instead of green it was a charcoal gray, and in all it was in better repair than other Klingon ships they had encountered. She moved to face the ship directly, and simply sat still in space, defenses up and attack already planned. On her side, her name read: _G'Khan_.

Mr. Worf watched from his post, a slight surprise and the slightest of horrors on his face.

"Captain, I-I…" Worf tried to speak, but his throat constricted. Picard turned to face his security officer, a questioning look on his face.

"Yes, Mr. Worf?"

Worf swallowed his emotions temporarily, and faced his Captain. "I know this ship, Captain. She has been spoken of as a Klingon legend since my days as a young one. I didn't think she was real, sir…but I know one thing about her, sir."

"What would that be, Mr. Worf?" Picard asked, his love of mystery flaring up at the most inappropriate time.

"She is no friend of this ship, sir."

For several moments the bridge sat in silence, and each officer turned to look at one another. They questioned Worf's words, and they questioned the odd behavior of the opposing ship. All eyes turned to their captain, their hopes vested in his word and his wisdom.

"We can't be sure of superstitions for now, Mr. Worf," the Captain finally said. "But, we will note that for later. Let's…hail her, shall we? This silence has done nothing but keep us in the dark!" His courage helped the rest of the bridge's crew keep up their spirits. Once again, the fabulous Jean-Luc Picard was going to solve an anomaly in Federation safety.

The Ensign at the comm. established the strictly-audio link, the absence of visual requested by the First Officer of the _G'Khan_.

"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. _Enterprise_. You have armed yourself and aimed against us. Why?"

No one replied. The only sound that could be heard was indistinct whispering in Klingon, but nothing directly answering the Captain's question. Looking at his crewmen, Picard straightened his uniform and addressed the _G'Khan _again.

"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. _Enterprise_—"

"Yes, yes we heard you," a husky, though feminine voice responded abruptly, interrupting the Captain's usual monologue. "And we acknowledge you. But, you are not in the position of asking questions, Captain. It is we who shall be posing 'whys,' _sir_." Picard furrowed his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes.

"And, who-who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?"

The voice on the opposite line scoffed and said something in Klingon. In the back the laughter of the bridge resounded dully, filling the _Enterprise_'s speakers like a swarm of buzzing blue flies.

"This is the captain of the _G'Khan_, Captain," the Klingon Captain responded, a slight humor in their voice. "Did you expect someone else?" More Klingon speech followed her statement and more buzzing laughter, again, spilled from the bridge's speakers.

"Of...course not, Captain. Please excuse me," Picard offered, afraid to say anything that may provoke the opposing captain. "But, per my earlier question—"

"Oh, how you _do _go on, Captain!" the other replied, now sounding slightly annoyed with Picard. "It seems as if that's all you care to talk about! Is it such a great surprise that I hold my weapons against you? Your ship obviously holds a measurable amount of armament herself! Or," The Captain speaking chuckled, a sound which both intimidated and frightened the _Enterprise_ bridge crew. "Are you, Captain, jealous that I've shown up your ship? That I've proven to you that my ship's crew can think better on my feet? Hmm, Captain?"

Picard felt his face get hot. This person insulted his ship, and that was something he could not tolerate as the Captain. However, he couldn't allow himself to lose his head over some cheeky Klingon captain. Taking a deep breath, Picard straightened his uniform, and he again addressed the _G'Khan_'s Captain.

"You have armed yourself against us for an unknown reason," It took all of Picard's strength not to shout. "Thus, you are threatening me. But not only me, Captain. By arming your ship and preparing yourself for battle you have threatened the lives of my crewmen!" Riker stood to assist his Captain, but he was shooed away. Picard knew what he was doing, and what he intended to do. "My crewmen are of the utmost importance, and if you intend to harm them in any way, then we too shall raise our defenses against you! And don't think we aren't prepared to deal with space pirates such as yourself."

The other side of the connection remained silent. Riker stood and joined his Captain's side, exchanging an urgent glance. Both held the same worry, and they both knew the consequences if the _G'Khan_ took Picard's bet. The good Captain remained hopeful, however, for he had faith in his crew, and he knew, to a certain degree, they held faith in him.

And then, the Captain of the _G'Khan _spoke, "You care more for your crew and ship than you do yourself, and you know that they outweigh you in importance. I respect that in a captain, Picard, and I wish to see you, face to face, so I can fully evaluate a man of your character."

The whole bridge crew sighed with relief, but also felt themselves fill with a certain alertness. From their captain they sensed the need to stay on their toes, to not allow their guards to fall, just in case this Captain presented danger to the _Enterprise_.

"And…how shall we meet, Captain…?"

"My name is Shea, Captain Shea," the Captain of the _G'Khan_ answered almost immediately, and even slightly robotically. "And I wish to meet you aboard your ship." Picard began to protest, but Shea's following words silenced him. "Your ship will reflect you, Captain, and will help with my decision."

"Decision, Captain Shea?" Picard asked, his pulse began again. "What decision?"

"The decision to or to not destroy you and your ship," came the response, one so chilling and so straightforward. "If your ship and crew are as precious and important as you make them to be, I will withdraw. However," A menacing tone replaced the earlier carefree one. "If I find you have lied to me, just to save yourself from my wrath, I will annihilate you and your vessel."


End file.
